Every day carry considerations - a self defense keychain?

It’s not practical and sometimes not even legal to carry a weapon. What is a weapon? A weapon is a specialized tool for projecting force. It serves no other practical purpose than extending force from one body to another. The handgun is a perfect example. Handguns are designed to do one thing - extend force outward, to another human. Yes, a human. Guns and knives are considered deadly weapons. (Note - the EDC Krav Maga Self Defense Keychain is an improvised weapon - more on that later)

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Weapons are generally regulated, and here’s what you need to know - most jurisdictions in the U.S. require a CCW (Concealed Carry - Weapon) permit in order to legally carry a handgun. Jurisdictions vary on knives, but most states allow folding blades at either a 3” or 4” blade length.

Here’s another thing you should know about carrying a gun - it’s a pain in the ass. And the hip. And the low back. That’s not always the first thought of the eager faces going into the police academy or civilians going to concealed carry class. It’s a physical burden. Having a gun on you is serious business - it must be accounted for and secure at all times. I get a handful of stories every month about handguns being left in bathrooms by accident.

Personally, I love the guy who spends a couple of minutes figuring out which pocket gun to take with him to the store to pick up milk. It’s a short trip and he doesn’t want his full carry rig, but has to take something, right? He’s my kind of people - but he’s not most people.

Many people exercise their second amendment rights for good reason. Many others choose not to carry guns, for good reason. Carrying a gun is not always convenient, not always comfortable, and in some places - not legal.

What about places you can’t carry a gun, or if you don’t want to carry a gun at all? Is it either a gun or nothing? Of course not. I always wear a seat belt. I’ve never needed it, but it takes a half second to put on, and it really doesn’t inconvenience me. It’s there if I need it, and I don’t think about it. It’s part of my truck, and doesn’t require much thought or work on my part.

The everyday objects you carry with you are not exciting - but little choices will give you a huge edge defending yourself

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There are very good reasons that cops and soldiers put so much thought into what they carry with them - their kit. And they also are concerned about what the Bad Guy might have on them. This is the first thing The Good Guys check for when arresting or capturing Bad Guys - checking to see if there is a threat due to a weapon or something that could be used as a weapon.

We can only carry or keep track of so many things. Here are things I could have on me. This will be different for everyone.

Folding Knife - Benchmade Stay Mountain Warrior. My friend Lee carried this when deployed in Afghanistan. Great knife, great guy, know he used it to do more than open letters from home. Have this with me 90% of the time, still one more thing to keep track of.

Handgun - Glock 19 with 2 spare magazine. 45 rounds of 9mm. If I need more than that, I'll have to fight my way back to the truck. I’ll do a post in the near future on concealed carry options.

The every day Definitely List:

Now, here’s what I always have on me - an Every Day Carry kit. Life gets to be routine. We don’t even think about these things we carry with us all the time. This list will be the same three things for about everyone. It has nothing to do with self-defense, it's just life - we need communication (cell phone), access (keys), and ID/payment method (wallet). Women - and some men outside the Midwest - carry purses instead of wallets, but the logic holds:

Wallet - It’s a Prada wallet. My wife bought me a Prada wallet and Prada flip-flops. This is something that is hard for a straight man to understand. I’ve come to realize she didn’t buy them for me. She bought them for her. Every time she sees the Prada wallet on the table or the shoes by the door, she can think to herself - “I’m married to a successful man.”

I-Phone 6+ - I’m not an Apple snob, but have 4 i-phones on plan. Every head of household and small business owner has morphed into a Tech Support Manager. With the I-phones, they all work the same, backup is automated, and I can fix things easily. I can always get the new one and talk someone into using my old one, because

I always get the highest memory option. This is important. (Always get the most storage. Also, always get the bigger engine option with a car or truck - “keeps the family safer.”)

I’ve tried everything, had a great experience with Android, I just want something that works for everyone and is easy on me.

Keys - Here’s where it starts to get interesting. The EDC Krav Maga Self Defense Keychain, keys to two cars, a couple of discount cards, Cold Steel Micro Recon knife (for opening boxes and a loaner, so other people aren't using my good knife) and cheapie LED light. Know the feeling when you can't find your keys? If I have my keys with me, I have an improvised weapon with me all the time...

Improvised Weapons and the Edc krav maga tool

​Improvised weapons are everyday objects that were not specifically designed as deadly weapons, but can be used in an emergency. Improvised weapons provide the following:

Reach - Classic civilian example is the baseball bat. Military example is the entrenching tool.

Mass to the Hand - Example is a rock or brick

Edge or Point - Example is a folding knife or kitchen knife. (90%+ of stabbings occur with kitchen knifes)

Common Explosive - Example is the Molotov cocktail. Not as useful for personal self-defense, unless you really want to make a statement.

​Western military groups now train specifically in the use of improvised weapons. Entrenching tools (called e-tools) have always been used, and now more soldiers are carrying tactical tomahawks - which are also useful for other outdoor activities. These are NOT weapons systems, but when all else fails, they are a hell of a lot better than fist fighting.

I designed the EDC Self Defense Keychain in response to the key ring self-defense jokes people put in front of me and asked about.

Little stun guns that don’t wipe the smile off my face.

Tiny pepper spray cans that would only be useful on Taco Night.

Plastic cat heads with finger holes that build on the myth that keys between your fingers would really work. (Just try hitting something with mass with keys between your fingers)

Are you thinking about self-defense all the time? Not if you’re psychologically healthy. Our first product, the EDC, is useful just to carry keys or open a bottle. I’m not thinking about a car accident every time I put a seat belt on. It’s not hard for me, and will be there if I need it.

Eric

I'm Eric Scott, and I'm the self-defense instructor writing most of the articles and courses on this site. I'm the founder of Self-Defense Global. I've been training and teaching self-defense for most of my life. My goal is to provide you with useful information that helps you live a safer, happier life.